1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to a gas turbine engine and, more particularly, to a shaft assembly for a gas turbine engine that includes a stack nut.
2. Background Information
Various shaft assemblies for gas turbine engines are known in the art. One type of shaft assembly includes an engine shaft, a rotor, a stack nut and a stator. The rotor is typically mounted onto the shaft between the stack nut and a shaft shoulder. The rotor includes a rotor contact sealing surface, and the stator includes a stator contact sealing surface. The rotor contact sealing surface is arranged in sealing contact with the stator contact sealing surface to reduce fluid leakage therebetween.
During operation, the stack nut may be subject to a thermal gradient. The thermal gradient may cause different regions of the stack nut to thermally expand at different rates and warp. A clamping force exerted by the stack nut against the rotor therefore may become non-uniform. Such a non-uniform clamping force may cause the rotor to warp and disrupt the sealing contact between the rotor and stator contact sealing surfaces and, thus, allow fluid leakage therebetween. Such fluid leakage may disadvantageously reduce engine efficiency, increase engine wear, cause engine component failure, etc.